Monday, July 28, 2014

Dex.ini file uploaded to Box 07-28-2014

office_cabinet_custom_text_12928
The link to the dex.ini download was not working so I’ve refreshed it.
You can access the latest Dex.ini file on Box. Download here: DEX.ini. Here’s the link done the long way: https://app.box.com/s/xkgae2rz1vil1ap4o579

Until next time!
Leslie
07/28/2014

Friday, July 25, 2014

Never Forget to Match that Purchase Order Again!

YAY! This one was added to Dynamics GP!

Vote for Product Suggestion ID: 669719

https://connect.microsoft.com/dynamicssuggestions/feedback/details/669719/gp-never-forget-to-match-that-purchase-order-again

image

There are 18 votes so far. This process really works, I’ve had two of my suggestions actually make it into the product!

Too often a vendor invoice comes into the company and it's entered into A/P without going through the invoice matching process in POP. We need a method for the user to be alerted if a vendor's invoice is entered to the Payables transaction entry window while there is an outstanding uninvoiced receipt.

The problem is that we end up with uninvoiced POs,  or worse, the vendor is paid twice by mistake.

While you’re at the Connect page, I suggest you browse through all of the good suggestions that have been logged. You may find others that are worthy of your vote!

Until next time,

Leslie

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Speed up your Macros

 

stick_figure_colored_running_inside_arrows_150_clr_9682

Today I delivered a Webinar on Macros for GPUG. I loved doing it, but there are so many things to cover that an hour just doesn’t do it justice. I talked about adding the ShowAdvancedMacroMenu=TRUE switch to your Dex.ini file to reveal additional functionality that can make macros a lot more robust. No new software to buy, just an extra line (called a switch) in the Dex.ini file.

Even with this switch, a macro still can’t throw up dialog boxes with yes/no/never mind buttons on it, but you can make your macros run significantly faster using this tool. It speeds them up to run at least twice as fast. This is especially useful if you’re doing large imports or mass changes. Macros running under this mode took half the time of others. For longer macros, it was even more astonishing.

After you add the above switch to your Dex.ini file, the Advanced Macro menu becomes an option on your Macro menu. Once you update your Dex.ini file, your menu will look like this:

Advanced Macro Menu

All of the goodies are in the Status window. Pictured below is the Status window. I’ll go through this window and point out the things that I like to use.

image

Below I’ll try to define each of the items numbered above:

1. Shows you the name of the macro currently being recorded and what line it’s on.

2. Shows you the name of the macro currently being played, and what line it’s on.

3. This is the magic checkbox that turbo charges your macro. Checking this box turns off the complete redraw and hides the interface flash thereby making the macro run twice (at least) as fast.

4. The line in the macro you want to jump to. This is a great way to find out what was going on when your macro fails at line 7463 for example. You can put that value in this field and the results will display in the scrolling window at the bottom. You can also restart a macro to begin playing at the jump to line.

5. The number of lines to display in the scrolling window.

6. Indicate where you want the macro to pause while it’s playing. This is a good way to debug the macro or stop it from executing after a certain point is reached

7. The actual lines of the macro according to the lines displayed.

The easiest way to make this feature work is to click on the ellipses [. . .]button and browse for your macro file.

SNAGHTML1251fbec

Once the macro is loaded, check the No User Interface Flash checkbox and then press the OK button. Your macro will launch running at lightening speed!

If there’s interest out there, I can go through each of the menu items on the Macro menu and the Advanced Macro and explain how to use it and what it does.

Live the Dream!

Leslie

Report Writer–copying package files, beware

 

mailbox_with_custom_check_14221 white background

I had a client call me today who was trying to copy the layout of the Check with stub on top and bottom- Graphical to the layout of the Check with stub on top. It wasn’t working.

She changed the top line of the package file  to read Check with stub on top and it imported beautifully. She could open it up in Report Writer and everything looked good. However, when she tried to print it she got something very foreign looking. It had switched to a graphical report, and it had a stub on top, but it didn’t produce the face of the check, and the dollars where all messed up.

Below is the only thing that printed after the import of the ‘new’ package file:

clip_image002

It’s got a nice looking stub on top, but the rest of the check was missing. Something had gone terribly wrong.

Further investigation revealed that the Check with stub on top report, before it was modified, contained 7 tables. The Check with stub on top and bottom- Graphical contained only 5. We could import just fine between two of the formats that had the same 7 tables, but the formats that had only 5 needed to be imported into a format that had the same 5.

We needed a check format that contained the same 5 tables as the Check with stub on top and bottom- Graphical. Luckily, the Check with two stubs on top matched up perfectly. 

So, if your modified reports coming from edited package files don’t appear the way you think they should, check the tables. If the tables are not compatible, the report will not work the way you want.

Until next time!

Leslie

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Vote for being able to do a credt card 'check run'

YAY! This one made it into Dynamics GP!

I'm happy to report we have 31 votes to add a feature to GP that would allow us to do a 'credit card run' just like we do a check run. I would love to see a credit card that acted like a checkbook - including reconcile capabilities just like bank accounts.

31 votes is a good start, but we need more. If you agree that this functionality would be awesome, please vote on Microsoft connect for the item below:

vhttps://connect.microsoft.com/dynamicssuggestions/feedback/details/763004/gp-perform-a-credit-card-run-just-like-a-check-run

We've gotten two other items in the product because of popular support, so this method really works!

Let's go for it and get this feature added too!

Live the dream!

Leslie

Friday, July 18, 2014

When things go wrong - Missing or Invalid Date on SOP Edit List

 

3d man holding stop sign

This error kept coming up at a client whom was using the Sales Document Consolidation product from Binary Stream.

As it turned out, the problem was because the DUEDATE field in the SOP10100 table was showing a value of 1900-01-01 00:00:00.000, that is not a valid date in the Dynamics GP SOP posting world. This situation came about because (as near as we could tell), the customer did not have a default payment term assigned to them.

If you get this error on your SOP Edit List, go take a look at that field.

Kind regards,

Leslie

Backup Withholding on 1099 Payments

Gotcha’s on using the withholding feature in Dynamics GP

3d man with calculator

Lately, I’ve been fielding several questions from clients regarding the ability to track Backup Withholding using Dynamics GP. The short answer is that you can do it, you’ve just got to be careful.

Here are a few tips:

  1. First, turn it on by entering a 1099 vendor ID in the Company Setup Options window:

    Administration | Setup | Company | Options Buttonimage

  2. Open the Vendor card for the Vendor subject to backup withholding, push the Withholding button, and check the box indicating the Vendor is Subject to the Withholding Deduction .
    SNAGHTML19f6097f

  3. After entering, posting and paying some transactions subject to withholding, print the Form 1099 for the vendor on whom you have withheld. Make sure box 7 has not been reduced by amount withheld.
  4. The Vendor must be marked as a 1099 vendor on the date of the transaction subject to withholding or it will not make it onto the 1099. Neither the ‘update’ utility, nor the PSTL utility will fix it.
  5. Using the Update ‘1099 Information’ utility does not move the withheld amount to the new form.
  6. The ‘Edit 1099 Transaction Information’ window will likewise not move nor create the withholding information.
  7. If you enter any amounts in the 1099 details window and then reconcile, the amount not supported by a transaction will return to zero
  8. The withholding vendor will not withhold on itself even if you have it set up as a 1099 vendor subject to withholding.

Bear in mind, this withholding feature was not designed for the United States. If you are using it for US Backup Withholding, be sure to test it after each service pack release.

Live the Dream!

Leslie

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Do not automatically unapply other documents if one is voided: 921385

Please vote for this suggestion if you agree.

Vote here: https://connect.microsoft.com/dynamicssuggestions/Feedback

Read about it here: https://connect.microsoft.com/dynamicssuggestions/feedback/details/921385/do-not-automatically-unapply-other-documents-if-one-is-voided

This refers to the new feature in GP2013 that will automatically unapply all documents (except payments) from a vendor invoice if even one of those documents is voided. For instance, if you pay an invoice using checks, credit memos, returns and write offs – ALL of those documents (other than checks) become unapplied when one of the checks is voided.

I just posted the suggestion on Connect, here’s why the new feature is a bad idea:

This new feature is a DISASTER and should be an option, NOT an automatic unapply of all non-payment documents. Here's what happens.

You have a payable to a vendor

$1,000

You pay by check ($400)

($400)

You pay by check ($415)

($415)

You apply a credit memo of ($10)

($10)

You apply a credit memo of ($75)

($75)

You apply a return ($50)

($50)

You write off ($50)

($50)

Remaining Balance

$0

At this point the invoice is fully applied and in history, as are the other apply documents.

Now, you void the $400 payment. Magically the following documents become unapplied:

  • The credit memo of ($10)
  • The credit memo of ($75)
  • The return for ($50)
  • The write off of ($50)

Now the balance of the invoice shows to be $585 instead of the ‘real’ balance of $400

WHAT! This is insanity!

So now you have to go back and figure out what those four documents should be applied to and apply them. This is causing a real problem and it should not behave this way. At least present a dialog asking the user if they want to unapply the other documents, don't just do it. And why the inconsistency with the payments, why aren't they unapplied too, the returns are.

This new 'automatic' feature is a nightmare and should instead be an option, not a mandate.

Kind regards,

Leslie

Allow changes to the Amount Paid field on the Edit Payables Check Batch window: 921350

Please vote for this suggestion if you agree.

Vote here: https://connect.microsoft.com/dynamicssuggestions/Feedback

Read about it here: https://connect.microsoft.com/dynamicssuggestions/feedback/details/921350/allow-changes-to-the-amount-paid-field-on-the-edit-payables-check-batch-window

I just posted the suggestion on Connect as appears below:

Currently, if you check a voucher on the right side of the Edit Payables Check Batch window, the Amount Paid defaults to 100% of the Open amount. What if I don't want that? What if I want to pay less than the total amount.

Well, then we have to open that particular payment in the Edit Checks window and change the amount. OR, we have to enter the check anew in the Edit Checks window. Either way, it adds a lot of steps to the payables function.

I think we ought to be able to just change the amount on the Edit Payables Check Batch window and go on with processing the check run.

Live the Dream!

Leslie

Add a [Mark/Unmark All] button to the Edit Payables Check Batch window ID: 921336

Please vote for this suggestion if you agree.

Vote here: https://connect.microsoft.com/dynamicssuggestions/Feedback

Read about it here: https://connect.microsoft.com/dynamicssuggestions/feedback/details/921350/allow-changes-to-the-amount-paid-field-on-the-edit-payables-check-batch-window

I just posted the suggestion on Connect as appears below:

The Edit Payables Check Batch window is a widely accepted, much sought after window and I was thrilled to see its addition to the program. However, I find it difficult to use if you have a long list of vouchers for a vendor and you need to uncheck most of them.

As soon as you select a vendor on the left-hand side, all of the vouchers are marked on the right-hand side. If you want to Unmark them, you have to do it one at a time. I expected the little check box above all of the other checkboxes would provide the Mark All, Unmark All functionality but it does not. If it's supposed to, it's broken.

This would reduce the amount of time it took for the payables clerk to pay vouchers if only a few vouchers were paid. Clients do not necessarily want to pay ALL of the vouchers outstanding, so there's always a second step to 'Unselect' the ones you do not want to pay.
It's easy to miss some vouchers, and end up paying too many. Cash out the door.

It would be much better if the default were 'unchecked', since changing the default doesn't make sense at this point, I think we need an "Check/Uncheck All" button, or an option in the Payables Setup window that controls the default behavior

Kind regards,

Leslie

Edit Payables Check Batch–Change the Columns Displayed

I find that there is a relatively unused feature of the Edit Payables Check Batch window. You have the option to change which columns appear on each side of the window. One change I nearly always make is to display the document number instead of the voucher number. Voucher number, really, what’s up with that?

Not only can you turn on or off the columns, you can also rearrange them.

In the screenshot below, notice I changed the left-hand section to include the Payment Priority. On the right-hand side, I changed Voucher Number to Document Number and added a field for the Original Amount.

image

To make these changes, you just need to push the ‘Column’ button in the header of the side you want to change. The button is circled in red above.

Upon pushing the button on the left, you get the following window with some additional choices that you can turn on or off. You are limited; you can only choose to display three columns. It will bark at you if you select too many.

image

Pushing the button on the right, will reward you with the following window with some additional choices that you can turn on or off. You are limited to seven columns for the right side. This side will bark at you too if you select too many.

image

Choices for the left and right are listed in the table below:

Left Side Right Side
Vendor ID Voucher Number
Vendor Name Document Number
Total Amount Paid Due Date
Class ID Amount Remaining
Payment Priority Amount Paid
  Original Amount
  Discount Date
  Terms Available
  Terms Taken
  Type
  Transaction Description
  Currency ID

Utilizing this feature can make this popular window even more inviting.

Now, if we only had a way to ‘Unmark All’. The suggestion is on Connect. Vote for 921336 if you agree.

Kind regards,

Leslie

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Richard Whaley’s memorial fund and services

Hi all,

I’ve been asked about where you could send a contribution in celebration of Richard’s life, and I now have that information. His family has established a memorial fund where you can send contributions that will be forwarded to the American Heart Association (AHA) in your name.

Richard was taken from us by congestive heart failure. The AHA is working to find a cure so that we do not lose any more colleagues that suffer the same problem as did our friend Richard. Here is the information you need to make contributions:

Richard’s memorial fund

Bank of America
555 S. Hunt Club Blvd
Apopka, FL 32703

Routing number: 063100277
Account number: 898065822095

Richard’s memorial services

Richard’s daughter, Betsy, gave this information to Heidi Pukas, which was conveyed to me . There will be two memorial services for Richard, the details are below:

First Baptist Church of Forest City
Saturday July 12th @ 11am
721 W Lake Brantley Road
Altamonte Springs, FL  32714
(407) 869-1278

Bethany United Methodist Church
Friday July 18th @ 10am
118 W. 3rd Street South
Summerville, SC 29483
(843) 873-1230

I hope some of you can be there.

Kind regards,

Leslie

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Richard Whaley has passed away; 7/1/51- 7/1/2014

Farewell to the Professor. It saddens me to tell you that we lost Richard Whaley this morning 07/01/2014. He was home with his family by his side. As you may know, Richard’s health had been very bad these last couple of years, he slipped away in his sleep.

clip_image002

imageimage

image

image

Richard was a very close friend of mine and he will be sorely missed. I was very lucky to spend a few days with him the week before last, and I will treasure that trip for a lifetime.

Richard was one of the GPUG Superstars, on the ‘top’ 100 list from forever, and a former Microsoft GP MVP. We remember him for his conference antics, like cruising around on a Segway and dressing up like a professor.

Richard brought us nearly two dozen books on Dynamics GP, most of which he penned himself, as well as books on AX, CRM, NAV, SL and SQL Reporting Services:

As well as being an expert on the Manufacturing module, he was versed in nearly every other module. He knew so much about Dynamics GP and was never too busy to help others. Richard answered hundreds of questions for us on the Community Forum, he gave countless hours of his time to GPUG and taught classes at most of the conferences.

He will be a hard act to follow.

Please send me any pictures you may have of Richard and I will add them to this post.

Kind regards,

Leslie